Motor-controlling device.



No. 891,720. PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908. w. 0. OBRIENY. MOTOR CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1907. RENEWED JAN. 28, 190B.

- 3 SHEETS-BHEBIL 2% 176 .2. Z & 2 "H 4 WWW\MM-' 3 sluuenl'oz W 6029/??76.

@M in emu W attorney PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908. W. G. OBRIBN.

v MOTOR CONTROLLING DEVICE.

:APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 19, 1907. RENEWED JAN. 28, 190B.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Pli i 2 a a m 0 2 fl 6 a". W Jr a 2% 0 N 0 .2 0 W 4 3 1 j W 1 6 7 2%. E. of m Y. 1 y g. m 4 0 a 7 Z 5 E & 5 6 4 2 6 I A 1 Hi 4 y No. 891,720. PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908. W. G. O'BRIEN.

MOTOR CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLIOATIONTILED JAN. 19, 1907. RENEWED JAN. 28, 1908.

a MEETS-SHEET a.

if v nu cake: W C 0- rim Wihmoom v 74' E ww W W UNITED s'rn'rns PATENT OFFICE...

WILLIAM C. OBRIEN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO-MONITOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, CORPORATION OF MARY- LAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MOTOR-CONTROLIiING DEVICE. Q

Patented J'une 23, 19015.

Application filed January 19, 1907, Serial No. 853,168. Benewed ianuary 28, 1908. Serial No. 412,998.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C; OIBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Motor Oontrollin- Devices, of which the following is a spec' cation.

This invention relates to improvements in means for operating electric motors which have to be frequently stopped and started and operated at different speeds.

The details and advantages of the imrovements will be pointed out in the folowing specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure- 1 shows, partly in side elevation and. partly in section, a simple form of current controlled starter for cutting out-the starting resistance of the motor at one operation, and a hand regulator for regulating the amouht of starting resistance thus cut out, the same resistance in this instance being used for both starting the motor and regulating its speed. the switch for stopping and starting the motor being shown in open position and the movable parts of the-motor being shown in their normal positions; Fig.

2 is a similar view, with the starting and stopping switch closed, the parts of the starter being shown in full lines in the positionswhich they occupy as long as the start ing current in the armature circuit remains above a predetermined quantity, and in dot ted lines in the positions which they assume as soon as the currentfalls below said predetermined 'quantit Figs. 3 and i are side elevations of simi arly operating devices arranged to cut out the starting resistance starting resistance cut out or remaining in the circuit after the starter operates; Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate starters operating in the same way, in connection with an auxiliary resistanceand a hand regulator for thelatter, and a reversing switch-for. reversing the direction of the current in the motor.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, A lndicates an automatic starter of my design, the operation of which, in cutting out the starting resistance B, is controlled by the quantity of current flowing inv the armature circuit of the motor (1, after the closing of the. hand switch D which connects the motor circuits to the terminals Z of the suply wires L. The armature circuit of the motor extends from the terminal d of the switch through conductor 1 to the solenoid G, thence through conductor 2, through solenoid H, thence through conductor 3 and starting resistance B- to the motor armature a, and thence by conductor 4 to the terminald of the switch-D. The circuit of the field I gage astationary switch member or contact 7 when the lever is rocked from the position shown in full lines in the latter figure. The core 9 of the solenoid G is solid and rests normally upon one end of the lever, and the core h of the solenoid H is hollow so as to be lighterqthan the core g, and is connected to the-opposite end of the le'verby a pin 8, extending'into. a fork 9 i the lever. The core may move u ward-1y. 'ndependently of the ever, but the ever always moves with the core h, on account of the pivotal connection between these two arts. The contact 7 is connected by-a con uctor 10 to a hand regulator arm K, adapted to engage any one of the contact points 11 connected with the resistance.

The operation is as follows-When the Y switch Dis closed, thecircuit is, com leted through the field of the motor, an also ma1ns above a predetermined which, ordinaril ,is slightly above mum current w ich thernotor armature is .designed to carry When, throu h the acceleration of the motor armature, t e current flowing in the armature circuit falls below this predeterminedquantity, the core h q a i y drops, rocking the lever J .until the switch position as'long as the starting current ree maximember 6 engages the stationary member 7, when the armature current instead of flowing through the solenoid H and the entire start- 'arm K and through the section y-z of the resistance to the armature. The solenoid H and the section :z:y of the resistance are thus shunted. In Fig. 1 the parts are shown in normal positions, and in Fig. 2 the parts are shown in full lines in the positions occupied immediately after the closing of the line switch, and in dotted lines in the positions assumed when the starting current falls below the predetermined quantity. According to the position of the hand regulator K, moreor less of the resistance will be left in circuit with the armature, to regulate the speed after the starter has. operated to' cut out resistance. Thus, if the hand regulator K is set in position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, all of the resistance will'be cut outthe moment the switch 6-7 closes, and the motor will run at full speed; if the hand re ulator is left in the position shown in full lines in said figure, the section y-z of resistance will remain in series with the armature and the motor will run at a lower speed; and if it is desired to run the motor at a very low speed v the hand regulator may be set on the first contact point of the resistance as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In this latter position, it will be seen that when the current drops to the predetermined quantity aforesaid, the switch 67 will close, but none of the resistance will be cut out, and the motor will run at slow speed with all the resistance in circuit with the armature.

In operating printing presses, for some classes of work the press should operate faster-than on others; but for any given job the press should always run. at the same speed until the job is finished in order that the inked form may be pressed against the paper for the same length of time during each impression. It is also desirable to be able to stop and start the press whenever necessary, and when started to run at the same speed as before. With my improvements, the foreman sets the hand regulator K so as to give the desired speed, and all the operator has to do is to close the switch D to start the motor and to open the switch to stop the motor. If the motor starts quickly the automatic controller acts quickly, ,and conversely; but in any event, the automatic controller cannot operate to cut out resistance until the current falls below the predetermined safe quantity, and then it will cut out the entire resistance, a part of the resistance, or it will not cut out any of the resistance, depending upon the position in which the hand regulator is set.

In addition to its use in connection with printing presses, this combination of a hand switch, a hand regulator and a starter controlled by the quantity of current flowing in the armature circuit is found useful in connection with motors for driving various forms of shop tools. The hand regulator may be placed in a position inaccessible to the operator, where the operator of the tool or press is inexperienced and is likely to adjust the speed to suit himself instead of suiting the work to be performed. It frequently ha pens in printing offices that the operator wi lstop his press for some timeand then, in

order to make up for the lost time, will, without the knowledge of the foreman, and with the devices now in use, speed the ress up and thus turn out two grades of wor on the same job. If the hand regulator is under the control of the foreman only, this cannot be done, and, therefore, to provide for such contingencies the resistance and the hand regulator may be located at some place remote from the switch D which the operator uses to stop and start the motor. N o matter in what position the hand regulator may be left, no injury can occur to the motor, as it is always protected by the full starting resistance until the current falls to a safe quantity, and then the desired. amount of resistance for regulating purposes is left incircuit.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the arrangement is the same as in the previously described figures, except that I have shown the starting resistance in two sections and an automatic starter for cutting out said sections successively and a hand regulator for regulating the amount of resistance cut out of both sections. In these figures G is a solenoid corresponding in function to the similarly lettered solenoid in Figs. 1 and 2, and H, Hf, are two solenoids corres ending in function to the solenoid II in igs. 1 and 2 and arranged to act successively to cut out sections of the resistance. As shown in Fig. 3, the core 9 of the solenoid G normally rests upon the free ends of the two levers J and J and it is heavy enough to over-balance the weight of the cores 7: and 7N and hold said latter cores within the solenoids H and H respectively. The solenoid windings are connected in series through the starting resistance and armature, and the solenoid H is weaker than the solenoid vll so that when the current falls a certain amount the' core h will first drop, cutting out a portion of the starting resistance, its own coils and some of the coils of the solenoid ll' After the temporary rise in current which follows the cutting out of the first section of the starting resistance, when the current again falls to about the quantity flowing when the core h dropped, or somewhat less, the core 71 will drop, cutting out the remaining resistance. The hand regulator determines the amount of resistance cut out and reina'nmg in circuit, and, therefore, the" speed of the motor. r In Fig. 3, wherein the parts are in their normal positions, with the starting switch D open, the armature circuit extends from the side (i of the switch through conductor to the coils of the solenoid G, thence by conduc- -tor 16 .to one section I) of theresistance B, thence through said section and conductor 17 to the coils of the solenoids H thence by "conductor 18 to the coilsof the solenoid H thence by conductor 19 to the resistance section I) and through-said section to the'conductor 20, thence through said conductor 20 to the armaturea and thence to the switch terminal (1 by way of theconductor 21. This is the'course followed by the armature "current as long as the quantity of current in the armature circuit at starting =is sufficient to sup ort the core of the solenoid H, The circuit 0 the field f extends through-conductors 15,22 and -21 to the terminals of the switch D. The 'hand controller K has two metal'blades 76, k, insulatedefrom one another, and adapted to engage the contact points of the resistancesections b and b, re spect'ively. The blade 7c also engages a'vmetal segment 23 which is connected by aconductor 24 to a stationary contact-member .7, and the blade 7c engages a si 'lar metal se 1 ment 25 which is connectedto the stationarycontact member 7 by a conductor 26. The levers J and J 2 carry the switcharmsttand 6 which are adapted to engage the stationary switch members or contacts .7' and .7 ,;respectively, when the levers are allowed to rock by reason of the fall of current in the armature circuit. A conductor 27, leading from anintermediate portion ofthewindings of the solenoid H :is grounded on the framei I of-the starte'lyin order to conductthercur- ,rent-to the switch arms 6 and 6 When the switch D is closed, the-current flows through the field, and alsoin thecourse indicatedmboye through the coils of thejsev eral solenoids,-the entire starting resistance and the motor armature. The core 9 moves upward instantly after the closure of :the switch D, as shownin Fig. 4, but the cores h and h remain in their'u Per positions until the current falls to a re etermined amount; When the current fa ls below this amount, the core h of the-weaker solenoid H dro s, causing the switch arm 6:t o close against t e stationary member 7 .The armature current then flows from the conductor ,16

through part of the starting resistance to-the' blade 7c of theregnlator K, 'thence'through the metal segment 23, conductor 24, stationary switch member 7*, switch arm- 6 and the frame of the starter to' the conductor 27,

, thence through part of the coils of the solenoid H tothe conductor 19, thence/t rough all of the resistance 1) and thence through conductor 20 to the armature. That part of the resistance section b between the blade 7: v and the conductor 17 is thus cut .out, EtO- J gether with the coils of the solenoid H and part of the-coils of the solenoid H weakening .the latter solenoid so that after the tern-- porar-y nsein the quantity of current which follows the cutting out of part of the resistance, the core {of theilatter solenoid will .drop when the current again falls to or slightly below what it was before.

If the regulator blade k is in the osition shown ,in dotted lines in Fig. 3 at t e time when the switch G -7 closes, all of the resistance section b will :be cut out; but if said blade is in the .position indicated in dotted lines in Fi 4 .at that time none of the resistance l'bercut out. When the current, after :the temporary arise falls so as to cause the solenoid-31:1 to release itscore h, the switch '.-6 :7 closes and the armature current then flows from the conductor 16 through that portion oftheresistancesection I b which :is between said conductor and the regulator blade Jc, {thence through said blade to .these ment23, ithence through conductor 2,4,, switc .members 7- andifi them-through the frame of the starter, switch members 6 4", conductor-26 andsegment 25 to the blade 1c, thence through the blade 1c ,of the 'regulatonand-athrough that portion of the sistance seotiQIl 1) between said :blade and the conductor ,20 and thence .throug'h conductor 20 .to the ,armature. Both of the solenoids =H1-and H will then beshort cirsuited, together with ,portions ofthe startingresistance between the blade and the con- .ductor 17 and between the blade Jc'and the conductor 19. lfthe regulator. bladesare in the position shown iin=dotted lines in 3 all of {the resistance in both sections wil .cut out afterthe current hasfallen to thepre determined quantity and thestarter has op-" ierated andif t-he regulator blades are ,inithe position shownindotted lines in Fig, 4 all of the resistance -will remain in circuit afterthe starter has operated. The speed at'which the motor then runs will depend upon the quantity, of resistance left in'circuit. =If the regulator isset in the position shown 1n.dot-

ted lines in Fig. 4,.so that the whole resistance section b is left in circuit when the switch memberstS -T close, the core of the solenoidfiH will drop immediately thereafter,

abut-this can donoharm as allof: the starting resistance remainsin circuit. zmediate 'positionof-the regulator blades the :In any interstarter .will operate uicker than in the (position indicated in otted lines in :Fig. 3,-

whereinall of theiresistanceis out outafter thestarter operates.

Inkall of the foregoin figures the starting resistance .and =the regu ating re'slstance are one and thesame thin 'In Figs. .5 ande' ='I have illustrated an appartaus particularly adapted for printing press control, but also erated at different speeds an suitable for other uses wherethe motor has to be stopped and started fre uently and fl reversed. lh these figures the usual starting resistance is employed, and in addition thereto a regulating resistance is arranged so as to be included in series with the armature.

Referring to Fig. of the drawing, A indicatesa starter controlled by the quantity of ,current flowing in the armature circuit, in the same manner as the starter shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is controlled, there being no provision, however, for retaining part of the starting resistance in circuit when the Switches 6 and 6 close. An auxiliary resistance M and a hand regulating arm N are used for the purpose of regulating the speed. This hand regulator is also arranged to move a reversing switch 0 for reversing the direction of current through the armature of the motor when a change in the direction of the armature is required. The circuit of the field f of the motor extends to the terminals of the switch D- through the conductors and 31. The armature circuit extends from the conductor 31 through conductor 32 to the coils of the solenoid-G and thence by conductor 33 to the frame I of the starter. When the switch arms 6 and 6 are open, as in Fig. 5, the armature circuit extends from the frame of the starter through conductor 34 to the coils of thsolenoids H" and thence by conductor 35 through the section b of the starting resistance to the coils of the solenoid H thence through resistance section b and conductor 36 to the stationary contact memher 7 and from thence through conductor '37 to the center of the auxiliary resistance M, which is divided into two sections m and m. The regulating lever- N .is arranged to en age the contacts 38 of either section of said auxiliary resistance; according to the direction in which it is moved from its central position, and in the central position it engagesthe bridge-piece 39 connectin the two sections. From the resistance M t e armaturecircuit extends through the lever N and thence by conductor 40 to one arm or blade 41 of the reversing switch 0. In the central position. of lever N the armature circuit i and 30 to the terminal. (I of the switch D.

4-1 and 42 will engage armature terminals and 51, respectively, and the circuit through the armature will be in the reverse direction as will be obvious. The regulator arm has a cross piece 52 arranged between the reversing switch blades so as to engage said blades near their pivoted points and give the required movement to the reversing switch by the time the regulating arm is moved onto the first contact point of the auxiliary or regulating resistance, as shown in dotted lines in Fi 5.

a conductor 36 extends from an intermediate'portion of the coils of the stronger solenoid H to the stationary contact or switch member 7. When the core of the weaker solenoid H drops, closing switch 6, 7*, the current will flow from the frame of the starter through said switch, conductor 36, part of the coils of solenoid H resistance section I) and conductors 36 and 37 to the .auxiliar re- 'sistance M and thence through the regu ator arm and reversing switch to the motor armature. .The resistance section 6 the coils of the solenoid H and art of the coils of the solenoid H will thus e cut out. When the core of the solenoid H dro s, closing the switch 6 7 the current ows from the frame of the starter through said switch and conductor 37 to the auxiliary resistance, regulator arm and reversing switch and thence to the motor armature, thus cuttin out the remaining coils of solenoid H and t 10 resistance section 6 In operation the regulator arm is moved to set the reversing switch and introduce whatever amount of regulating resistance is required to give the desired speed. If it is desired to start or run the motor with full power and speed, the regulating lever may be set at one end of the bridge piece 3!), as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, at which point the regulating resistance is entirely out of circuit. The starting resistance 1), b is, however, entirely in' circuit with the armature at the time when the switch D closes, and this starting resistance will be out out as soon as the armature current falls to a predetermined safe quantity, the starter operating just as it would if no auxiliary resistance were provided. If, however, it is desired to run the press at a slow speed or to "tease it in threading in a web. of paper, the regulating arm N may be set so as to include any part or all of the auxiliary resistance. Thus, in Fig. 6, all of the auxiliary or regulating resistance is included in the armaturecircuit. In this position of the regulating lever, at the moment the switch Dis closed all of the starting resistance and all of the regulating resistance are in series with the motor armature. If the amount of regulating resistanceintroduced is large, the flow of current may beso reduced at the start that the solenoids II and 11 will release their cores almost at once, and thus cut out minimum current .which ma all ofthe starting resistance, but in this event the armature circuit.

the regulating resistance in circuit is suificientto revent injury to the motor; or if less regu ating resistance is introduced the weaker solenoid H may release its core at once, cutting out one section of the starting resistance, the other solenoid H retaining its core for a short interval until the current falls to the proper point when the core of the latter. solenoid will drop, cutting out the remainder of the starting resistance. This is a [great advantage, as it may be desired to start'and stop the motor a number of times in the course of a minute or two, and the starter will operate just as quickly as it is possible to o erate with safet operating at once if a su cient amount 0 regulating resistance is in circuit, and operated more slowly when less of the regulatin resistance is in circuit. The motor is aways protected by a sufiicient resistance and the operator can never short circuit the motor, as might happen if a hand regulator alone were used and the lever of the regulator happened to be left in' the wrong position. With this apparatus the motor cannot be injured no matter in what position the regulator arm may be left. With m improvements the resistancein circuit is e iminated the instant In one view of the case, the operation of the starter is controlled by the quantity of resistance in the armature circuit, and whenever the starting resistance plus the regulator resistance is greater than necessary, the whole or part of the starting resistance is at once cut out. When the starting resistance plus the regulating'resistance in circuit is sufiicient to-choke down the starting current, below the predetermined maximum amount which it is desirable to admit to the motor'armature, it will -be seen that the operation of one or both of the cores of the solenoids Hi'and 1-1 will not in any way depend uponthe speeding up of the motor, or upon any 0 eration requiring time. This is one of the c ief advantagesof my invention, others being the absolute safety and the impossibility of the operator making a mistake, The hand regulator, after-being set for a iven speed of the press need not be disturbed in subsequent starting and stoplping operations, and, therefore, no

ow long or how often the press is stopped during the course of printing one job, when the switch D is closed the ress will run' at the same speed. as before an the character of the rinted work will remain uniform instead 0 being of different shades as occurs where art ofthe job is printed at one speed and other parts at different speeds.

It will be understood, of course, that inall cases the solenoid with the heavy core is arranged to lift and retain its core with the I have shown, for the purpose .of illustration, starters in which the starting resistance iseither in one or two steps, suitable for motors ranging in: size from one to about four horse power, but it will be understood that where larger motors-are employed a starter oppratin on the same principle will be used wit a 'su cient number of resistance ste s and solenoids to suit the larger motor.

, hat I claim is 1. In an electric motor controlling apparatus, a switch for starting and stopping. the

motor, a resistance for the armature circuit,

an automatic controller-having windings in so series with the armature, said controller being adapted to o erate to cut resistance out of said circuit w enever the armature current, at starting, is below a predetermined quantity, and to prevent cutting out resistance while the current is above said quan-\ tity, and a regulating device ada ted to be set at will, for retaining more or ess resistance in said-circuit after said device has operated to cut out resistance.

2.: In an electric motor controlling apparatus, a switch for starting and stopping the motor, a resistance for the armature circuit, an automatic controller having windings in series with the armature, said controller being adapted tooperate to cut resistance out of said clrcuit whenever the armature current, at starting, is below a predetermined quantity, and to prevent cutting out resistance while the current is above said quantity, andto reinsert resistance in said circuit when said switch 1s 0 ened, and a regulatin device,

' adapted to e set at will, for retaining more or less resistance in said circuit after said device has operated to cut outresistance. I

. 3. The combination with a motor, and a switch for startingand stopping the same, of a starting resistance arranged n "series "with the armature of the motor, so that the armature current will flow through the resistance 110.

when said switch is first closed to start-the I motor, a regulating device, adjustable at will, for engaging contacts connected to various portions of said resistance, said device being normally dead, or out of circuit, and an auto- 11s matic controller actuated by the quantity) of current flowing in the armature circuit, said controller being arran 'ed to prevent said regulating device from eing included in series with the armature while the starting cur- 12c rent is above a predetermined quantity, and to include said device in series with the armature when the starting currentjalls below said predetermined quantity.

4. The combination With switch for starting and stopping the same, of a starting resistance in series with the armature of the motor, acircuit for shunting said y flow through 55 a motor and 'a resistance, said shunt circuit including a normally open switch and a regulator, adjustable at will, for regulating the amount of said re sistance to be shunted, and an automatic controlling device actuated by the quantity of current flowing in the armature circuit, said controlling device being adapted to hold said switch in the shunt circuit open as long as the starting current in the armature circuit remains above a predetermined quantity and to permit said switch to close when the current in the armature circuit falls below said predetermined quantity.

5. In an electric motor controlling-apparatus a switch for starting and stopping the motor, a starting resistance and an automatic controlling device for said resistance, said device having windings normally con- "nected in series with said resistance, whereby when said switch is first closed the armature current flows through all of said startin re sistance and the windings of said contro ling device, a shunt circuit for said starting resistance, said shunt circuit comprising a nor' WILLIAM C. OBRIEN.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTUS W. BRADFORD, EDGAR F. HAHN. 

